QwaQwa means whiter than white in the San language, referring to the many sandstone hills of the Drakensbergen mountains in which the area is situated. In Afrikaans it was known as Witsieshoek, after the name of a farm.

Originally two tribes lived in the region, the Bakoena and the Batlokoa. In 1969 they were united and the area was named KwaKwa. In the same year the name was changed to QwaQwa.

On November 1, 1974 QwaQwa was granted "self government". On April 27, 1994 it was reunited with South Africa, together with the nine other homelands.